The Monads

Gabey Tjon a Tham graduated from the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, with a Masters in ArtScience. Using kinetic machines, light, and sound, she transforms spaces into sensory environments. By observing patterns in nature, she builds mechanical and natural choreographies.

Inspired by the sound of wind blowing through tree leaves, The Monads is a kinetic sound installation incorporating custom-made Leslie speakers, in which sound is swayed by a rotating motor.

A series of rotating speakers creates a mix of direct and reflective sounds whose source appears to be simultaneously nearby and distant. Tjon a Tham’s computer-controlled system enables individual speakers to move spontaneously whilst following swarm-like conditions, with various behavioural patterns emerging over time.

The project’s title refers to the philosophical concept of the monad as an indivisible and simple entity such as an atom or a person.

Developed with additional support from Stroom, DordtYart, and Steim